Montgomery County has a unique strategy to ensure safety at schools, daycares, and District Justice Offices. Tom Sullivan is the Director of Public Safety for Montgomery County. Sullivan says, C.L.A.S.S or The Countywide Law Enforcement Alerting and Safety System allows administrators to take quick action in contacting police.

“Any school administrator can discreetly push a button to notify police. It comes up on a computer inside their police cars, allowing for immediate response.”

C.L.A.S.S has been installed at 500 schools in Montgomery County. The system was developed in the wake of the Amish school shootings. Sullivan was a recent guest on the WNPV program, Security Advisors On Radio with Dave Gordon and Mike Dayoc.

School safety was the subject of discussion Wednesday morning on the WNPV program Legally Speaking. Souderton Area High School Principal Dr. Sam Varano says, since moving in to the new building, the school is better equipped to keep students safe.

“For any visitor to come in the building they have to have a driver’s license that is run through our system and we get an immediate report back if there is anything on that person’s record as far as misbehavior with children.”

Varano says, there’s another vital safety feature that adds to the level of security.

“There are close to 60 cameras in and around the building that can be viewed at anytime by our security personnel.”

The school also employs three security officers, and a school resource officer from the Franconia Twp. P.D.

Bucks County State Rep. Paul Clymer wants to give public school administrators autonomy when laying off teachers.

“When a school district has to furlough school teachers, under the present guidelines, it’s the last in the first out.”

Clymer is the Chair of The State House of Education Committee and he wants administrators to decide which teachers to layoff, based on merit not seniority. The Education Committee is expected to hold hearing on a proposed bill.

Paul Edelman, a Democratic candidate for the North Penn School Board says, respect is in short supply when negotiating with teachers and communicating with the public. Edelman cites the last round of teacher talks as an example of how the process needs to change.

“The board used in very poor judgment when representing our teachers in a very bad light. Negotiations behind closed doors and respectful bargaining in good faith starts there, that’s how I would like to repeat 2009.”

Edelman is running on the Democratic ticket. It’s the second time Edelman is seeking a seat on the North Penn School Board. Edelman was a guest on the AM Edition Wednesday morning.